Darling Continues Domination in Pro Stocks
DARLING CONTINUES DOMINATION IN PRO STOCKS
David Darling continued his prime form in the Pro Stock division, starting deep in the field, but quickly working his way to the top spot before the halfway point. There was no question Darling was going to be the driver hoisting the checkered flag when the race was completed.
At the drop of the green, Mike Brightman might not have been in the lead for the first few laps, but he took the advantage on lap four, and would lead the charge through lap 18. When he went to the rear of the field, that would open the door for Ryan Vanasse, who was one of four drivers battling for the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series championship. Vanasse would show the way for just a few laps before Darling would take advantage.
Darling passed for the top spot on lap 23, and although a few late restarts slowed the action, he wasn’t going to be denied another win. Darling would coast around in the final laps while accidents included Angelo Belsito, Kevin Casper, Bobby Pelland and others in the final laps.
Darling would take the win, followed by Tom Scully Jr., Estrella, Vanessa and Brightman inside the top five. Kevin Casper was sixth, followed by Pelland, Belsito, Ted Urquhart, and Rick Martin.
Darling leads by 68 in the championship standings with just three weeks left over Estrella.
BRUNEAU WINS SPORTSMAN; FANNING EARNS TRIPLE CROWN
Scott Bruneau might not have been in the final four of the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series, but, he was still able to celebrate on Saturday, earning another victory on the season in the Helger’s Southcoast Power Equipment Sportsman division.
Bruneau started from seventh, but it didn’t take him long to get to the front of the field. Tim Watson would lead the field to the drop of the green flag, showing the way for the first seven laps, before a caution closed the field up and Bruneau worked his way around into the top spot. With Watson not up to speed compared to his closest challengers for the lead, Corey Fanning and Steve Axon would follow Axon through, along with many others.
Watson would make contact with Kyle Casper, sending Casper spinning in turn one, drawing the caution flag on lap 16 and closing the field up once again. That would give Bruneau everything he could handle in the battle for the win, with Fanning and Axon all over his back bumper on the restart. After a few green flag laps, Bruneau would pull away from Fanning, earning the win by over one second. With his second-place finish, Fanning would earn the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series title for the second straight season.
Axon would finish third, followed by Austin Erickson and defending division champion Paul Lallier. Sparky Arsenault was sixth, followed by Chad Baxter, Justin Travis, Tyler Lallier and Kyle Casper, who worked his way back into 10th. With just three races remaining, the points battle closed up just a bit, with Tyler Lallier leading by 18 over Fanning and 36 over Axon.
SHAW SHORTENS POINTS LEAD WITH TRUCK WIN; GUY SNAGS TRIPLE CROWN
Barry Shaw Jr. and Lenny Guy were both celebrating at the finish of the 35-lap Seekonk Sport Trucks feature, but for two different reasons. Shaw would inherit the lead when two leaders got collected, and Guy would snag the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series championship in the division.
Nick Testone III would lead the field to the green and show the way for the first six laps, pulling away from the field in the early stages. However, it wasn’t long before Brittany Campbell would slide by and take the lead on lap seven, showing the way for a total of four laps before she had to give it up to Darryl Church.
Church would lead the charge at the front of the field from laps 11 through 30, but he wasn’t leading without a lot of pressure from behind. Both Richie Murray and Shaw, the top two points contenders in the division, were breathing right down his neck waiting for him to make a mistake. Church would slide up the track off turn two on lap 30, and Murray would put his truck down under him entering turn three, battling for the victory with just five laps to go.
Contact between the top two would sent Church spinning, and Murray to the rear of the field for the assist. That would hand the lead to Shaw, who would roll the bottom around the track for the final five laps, and cruise to another victory on the season. Another late restart inside the final five laps would play a major role in deciding the champion of the Phil’s Propane Triple Crown Series.
Lenny Guy would roll the bottom of Mikey Cooper in the final three corners, and as both of them rolled off turn four to the checkered, Cooper would get sideways and crash coming to the line, handing the Triple Crown trophy right to Guy, who earned a second-place finish. Based on transponders across the line, Ed Perry was third, followed by Elias Dib, Murray, Mike Cavallaro, Lenny Sousa, Tim Watson, Nick Testone III and Maddie Harkin.
With his win, Shaw closed the points gap to just 14 points, but Murray still holds the edge. Lenny Guy moved to third in the standings over Cavallaro and Cooper.
Sources: SeekonkSpeedway.com